Noni Madueke ready to fulfil England role ahead of World Cup and eyes 'final push' with Arsenal | OneFootball

The Arsenal star has moved above Jarrod Bowen in the England pecking order

The 24-year-old scored his first senior international goal in September 5-0 World Cup qualifying win over Serbia, after which Tuchel praised his growing impact but challenged him to find the net more often.

Madueke is in line to make his tenth cap for England when they host Uruguay in a friendly at Wembley on Friday, where he is considered a likely starter.

“In terms of World Cup places, I don’t really think too much about that,” he said of his chances of making Tuchel’s final 26-man squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Noni Madueke was a substitute in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City

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Madueke came off the bench in the Carabao Cup final, where Arsenal lost to Manchester City in a game seen by many as a precursor to the Premier League title race that is beginning to hot up between the two teams.

Asked to reflect on the significance of losing the Carabao Cup final, Madueke said: “My focus now is on England. Of course it's difficult, those types of games, but you take it in your stride.

“You can't sulk, you have to carry on. We've got important games for England coming up, which I'm fully focused on to try and do my best.

“And when we get back to club, it will be the final push to try and finish where we want to.”

When asked to contrast working with Tuchel for England and Mikel Arteta at club level, he replied: “First and foremost, they're both incredible managers, managers of the highest level.

“And with managers like that, they ask you to put the team first and to be focused on your role and how you're going to help the team.

“I feel like that's generally how they operate. So they're similar in that sense.”

You can't sulk, you have to carry on. We've got important games for England coming up, which I'm fully focused on to try and do my best

Noni Madueke

It was put to Madueke that he has featured prominently for Tuchel, playing in all four of the games under the German where he has not been unavailable through injury.

The ex-Chelsea man agreed he can become a difference-maker for England ahead of the World Cup.

“Definitely,” he said. “I think it's great, that challenge that he's set for me. It shows his belief in me and I'm grateful for that.

“It is an ongoing process. But in terms of that, I definitely have confidence going into every game that if I play well that I can be a real threat for the opposition and be decisive as well.”